Global Poker Index: Jonathan Duhamel Climbs to No. 9 in Top 300

Each week, the Global Poker Index releases a list of the top 300 tournament poker players in the world using a formula that takes into account a player’s results over six half-year periods. The GPI also ranks the top performers of the year over two six-month periods as calculated by the USA Today Global Poker Index point system.

2015 GPI Player of the Year

Rank

Player

GPI Score

1

Scott Seiver

1327.94

2

Ivan Luca

1231.94

3

Ognyan Dimov

1192.13

4

Davidi Kitai

1154.14

5

Ramin Hajiyev

1145.28

6

Jonathan Karamalikis

1101.37

7

Alexander Trevallion

1095.89

8

Vladimir Troyanovskiy

1089.20

9

Atanas Kavrakov

1078.77

10

Thomas Muehloecker

1052.51

Scott Seiver keeps the top spot in the GPI Player of the Year race for a second week, although as has been the case for these first weeks of 2015 there were many dramatic moves made just below him thanks to a few players’ recently-posted results.

The Argentinian Ivan Luca cashed in the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure $25,000 High Roller in January, then grabbed multiple cashes in France last week, including in the €5,300 EPT Deauville Main Event and in the €10,300 EPT Deauville High Roller, finishing fifth in the latter. Those scores helped Luca jump all of the way from No. 29 to No. 2 in the POY race this week.

Meanwhile the Bulgarian Ognyan Dimov's big win in the EPT Deauville Main Event catapulted him from No. 36 to No. 3, and the Russian Vladimir Troyanovskiy’s three cashes in Deauville — including a win in the FPS High Roller — helped him move way up from No. 193 to No. 8.

GPI 300 Top 10

Rank

Player

GPI Score

Change

1

Ole Schemion

4244.03

-

2

Scott Seiver

3937.19

-

3

Pratyush Buddiga

3800.66

-

4

Jason Mercier

3712.46

+1

5

Bryn Kenney

3594.94

-1

6

Davidi Kitai

3551.22

-

7

Ami Barer

3523.32

-

8

Stephen Chidwick

3458.71

-

9

Jonathan Duhamel

3346.73

+1

10

Dan Smith

3335.56

-1

Turning our attention to the overall GPI rankings, the 10 players occupying the top spots remained the same for a third week running, with a few trading spots and no one making any major moves.

Ole Schemion remains the world’s top-ranked tourament player for an eighth-straight week. Byron Kaverman sits just outside the top 10 this week at No. 11 after finishing fourth in the Aria $25,000 High Roller II and second in the Aria $25,000 High Roller III. Jonathan Duhamel climbs one spot from No. 10 to No. 9, closing the gap with fellow Canadian Ami Barer.

Welcome to the GPI Top 300

Rank

Player

Total Score

141

Robin Ylitalo

2050.64

160

Fadi Kumar

1951.33

183

Thomas Butzhammer

1877.64

240

Anthony Gregg

1729.60

245

Roman Korenev

1718.53

253

Antonio Esfandiari

1696.22

266

Ludovic Geilich

1662.55

267

Roger Sippl

1661.52

269

Darryll Fish

1650.56

288

Eddy Maksoud

1604.66

290

Nathan Bjerno

1602.90

298

Brett Shaffer

1594.39

300

Ilan Boujenah

1594.19

This week saw 13 players climb into the GPI Top 300, including both 2012 WSOP $1,000,000 2012 Big One for One Drop winner Antonio Esfandiari who went from No. 425 to No. 253 and 2013 WSOP $111,111 One Drop High Roller champion Anthony Gregg who went from No. 399 to No. 240. Esfandiari finished third in the $25K Aria High Roller II to aid in his ascension, while Gregg took third the next day in the $25K Aria High Roller III to help him move up. Esfandiari’s highest previous GPI ranking has been No. 14, while Gregg’s previous peak was No. 85.

Incidentally, Tom Marchese won both of those $25K Aria High Rollers (on consecutive days), and those scores helped him move from No. 135 up to No. 42 in the overall rankings this week — a big gain, but there were several who made bigger ones.

Biggest Gains

Rank

Player

Total GPI Score

Change

245

Roman Korenev

1718.53

+256

183

Thomas Butzhammer

1877.64

+186

253

Antonio Esfandiari

1696.22

+172

141

Robin Ylitalo

2050.64

+163

240

Anthony Gregg

1729.60

+159

Roman Korenev earned honours as this week’s biggest gainer among those in the top 300, going from No. 501 to No. 256 after cashing in the EPT Deauville High Roller. Thomas Butzhammer surged in the rankings as well, moving from No. 369 to No. 183 after making the money in both the High Roller and Main Event in Deauville.

Biggest Drops

Rank

Player

Total GPI Score

Change

257

David Diaz

1693.30

-63

238

Isaac Haxton

1732.19

-54

292

Richard Lyndaker

1601.04

-48

210

Phil Ivey

1772.77

-47

197

JC Tran

1822.99

-46

Finally among those falling the furthest yet remaining in the top 300, David Diaz dropped the most, going from No. 194 to No. 257. Last week we were noting how Phil Ivey had returned to the top 300. This week he sits at No. 210, having slipped somewhat from his No. 163 position last week.

GPI Top 10 Canadians (the #EhTeam)

Rank

Player

Total Score

7

Ami Barer

3,523.32

9

Jonathan Duhamel

3,346.73

12

Daniel Negreanu

3,306.75

14

Andrew Chen

3,252.31

22

Sorel Mizzi

3,144.30

41

Mike McDonald

2,797.46

48

Mike Leah

2,731.76

71

Mike Watson

2,537.41

79

Max Greenwood

2,464.85

97

Marc-Andre Ladouceur

2,292.99

The #EhTeam looks to be mostly unchanged since last week. The only difference is a swap between Andrew Chen and Mike McDonald as the two traded places on the list. But with WPT Fallsview just around the corner — the first major Canadian event of the year — there is sure to be some movement soon.

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